Switch stand



Jan. 31, 1928. 1,657,689

L. R. SHAFFER SWITCH STAND Filed June 1 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lNVENTOR Jan. 31, 1928.

L. R. SHAFFER SWITCH STAND Filed June 16, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 31, 1928 UNITED STATES 1,657,689 PATENT OFFICE.

LARKIN n. SI-IAFFER, E GARLANIJQUTAH.

SWITCH STAND.

Application filed Jam-$16, 1926. Seria1 No."116,423. I

This invention relates to improvements switch stands, one object of the invention being to improve upon the switch stand of the type shown and described-in-my prior Patent No. 1,513,431, dated October 28, 1924.

In the locking arrangement shown in the patent the locking lever gradually becomes worn on account of its entering edge portion continually striking against the table which is adapted to lock said leveragainst rotation. After said locking lever has become worn it is loose in the locking notch in said table and, asa consequence, neither said lever nor the switch point connected thereto can be firmly locked. In the present case, howeVer,-the locking lever is so constructed as to prevent this wearing action thereon and, in addition, said lever is provided with a tapered orsubstantially knife edge portion which not only prevents wearing away of said lever but-which also acts as a Wedge to insure the table being turned to its proper locking position as well as to insure the switch point being returned to its normal position.

Another feature of the present switch stand, is that the casing which protects the lever locking mechanism isof sectional construction, thereby greatly facilitatingthe assembly of the various parts within said casing. 1

With these and other objects in view the invention consistsin certain novel details of constructions and combinations and arrangements of parts all as will hereinafter be more fully described and the novel tea tures thereof particularly pointed out in the appended claims. a 1

.ln the accompanying drawings, t

Figure 1' is a vertical sectional view of a switch stand embodying the presentimprovements; a

Fig. 2 is a-side elevation of the stand;

Fig. 3 is an edge view;

Figs. 4and 5 are detail views of the locking lever; I

Figs. G and 7 are elevational' and sectional views, respectively, of the cap section of the casing; and y V Fig. 8 is a sectional view of said casing.

the base of In the type of switch stand illustrated in the present instance the target shaft 10 has attached thereto, as by pins 11, the base sec-' tion 12 of a casingwhich houses thelocking mechanism of the switch operating lever 13,

said lever being pivotedin said casingas at y 14 and adapted to normally assume adepending position with a portionv thereof in a slot 15 of the table 16v as shown in dotted l nes in Fig. l. lVhenthe locking lever is in this depending position it is impossible to rotate the casing and theshaft to which the latter is afiixed but by raising said lever and withdrawing it tronrsaid slot the casing, together with the target shaft 10, can be rotate'dto throw the switch;

\Vith the construct-ion such as shown in my prior patent continuous operationof thelever results in said lever being worn at that portion which enters the notch 15 due tothe edge of said lever constantly abutting against the corner formed by the periphery of the table 16 and the Wall of the slot '15. After the lever has thus become Worn it fails to make a close fit in the s1ot'15 and, as a consequence,'the casing, together with-the target shaft 10, is free to oscillate somewhat and move the switch point to alimited extent. In the present instance, this difficulty is overcome by having the lever 13 pivoted to one side'of'the table 16 and above said table so that the end portion of the lever will initially enter the slot 15 instead of the side'edgefirst entering said slot; Inaddi tion, this edge portion of the lever which initially enters said slot is tapered or formed with a knife-like edge, as indicated at 17,

whereby it is not necessary that the entire lever register with the slot15 in order to permit said lever to enter the slot. It is only necessary that theknife edge on the lever bepositioned' to enter said slot, in which event, the tapered portion oi the lever will act as awedgeagainstone wall of the slot and :torce or turn the casing to the position in which -it should be looked, that is, a ,posi tion which insuresthe switch point being hasnothing to do with the ultimate positioning' of the "casing, said tapered portion passing completely throughthe slot to a position above the table so that even iffthe knife edge should bepartially worn that I similar to that shown in my prior patent before referred to be employed. This locking arrangement comprises a pivoted member such as the crank 18 journaled in the casing and loosely supporting ring "19 which, when the lever is in itsdepending position, drops by gravity so as to position itself between said lever and a fined abutment 20 within the casing section 12, thereby preventing the lever being raised until said crank 18 is elevated when being moved to the position shown in full lines in Fig. '1. It might here be stated that when the lever is in its depending position it may belocked against unauthorized manipulation by a lock (not'shown) placed in an eye 21 formed on the lever, as will be readily understood. This loci; in the eye 21 prevents unauthoriZfid useor operation of the switch while the locking mechanism composed of the ring 19 and crank 18 are for the purpose of holding the lever'against accidental movement when the first mentioned lock has been removed ro y 2 H i In order to facilitate assembly of the crank and ring in the casing said casing, in addition to the base section 12, has a detachable cap section 22, the said cap section being attached to the base section by a transverse bolt, 23 partially located within the abutment 20. In the preferred eonstrnction the base and cap sections haveoverlapping edge portions, the upper edge of the base section and the lower edge of the cap section being of reduced thickness so as to form'an overlappi joint wh w l inv nt h nt y of Water or snow or other matter which might interfere withthe operation of the lock. To fnrther facilitate assembly of the locking mechanism within the casing, bearms a e rrer d in h e lapp g e portions of the casing cap and base with slots extending from said bearings to the edges of the respective members. For instance, in the base portion 12 of the casing there is a slot 24; extending from the upper edge to the bearing 25 in each side of the casing and in the cap there is a slot 26 ex tending from the side edge of said cap to the bearing 27. Withthis arrangement the crank 18 first inserted in the slot 26, the cap then. placed on the base portion with the crank in registry with the entrances of s ts 2 nd sa d c n th n mo ed w wardly and to one side toposition the crank inthe-bearings 25, the upper edges of the basesection 12 being cutaway at one side, as at 28, to facilitate this application of the cap to the base section.

What I claim is: 1' I v a 1. I a switch stand, the combination of a casing, a table having a notch in the periphery thereof, and a pivotedswitch operating L v apt t orm l y oc p a P s on wi h s d not h w en. the sta d is ack d and to be moved out of said notch when the switch is to be thrown, thatportion of the lever initially entering said notch as the lever moves to locked position being tapered and said tapered portion being so located on thelever as to pass entirely through and without the notch when the lever fully assumes its locking position.

2. In a switch stand, the combination of a casing, a table having a notch in the periphery thereof, and a pivoted switch operating lever adapted to normally occupy. a position within said notch when the stand is locked and to be moved out of said notch when the switch is to be thrown, that portion of the lever initially entering said notch as the lever moves to locked position being tapered and said tapered portionibeing so located on the lever as to pass entirely through and without the notch when the lever fully assumes its locking position, and the cross section of that portion of the lever ultimately resting within the notch being substantially equal to the width of said slot.

3. 'In a switch stand, the combination of a casing, a table having a notch in the periphery thereof, and a pivoted circular operating lever adapted to normally occupy a position within said notch when the stand is locked and to be moved out of said notch when the switch is to be thrown, said lever having a knife-like entering edge portion adapted to initially enter said slot when the lever is moved from its unlocked to its locking position.

4. In a switch stand, the combination of a casing, a table having'a notch in its periphery and a switch operating lever adapted to normally occupy av position within said notch when the stand is locked and to be moved out of said notch when the switch is to be thrown, said lever being pivoted to one side of said table and above said table whereby that portion of the lever which initially enters said notch as the lever is moved to its locking position will pass entirely through and beyond said notch.

5. In a switch stand, the combination of acasing, a table having a notch in the periphery thereof, and a switch operating lever adapted to normally occupy a position within said notch when the stand is locked and to be moved out of said notch when the switch is to be thrown, saidlever having a ,tapered portion adapted to initially enter said slot when the lever moves from Its unlocked to its locking position, said tapered portion being adapted to lie at one side of the table when the lever is in its unlocked position and to lie above said table when the lever is in its locked position. i i u 6. In aswit ch stand, a table, a target shaft, an operating lever connected to said shaft for rotating the latter, lneans for rel bl le kina t le nd table gether to prevent rotation of the target shaft, a pivoted member for actuating said lever locking means, and a casing for said locking means, said casing comprising a base CJI shaft for rotating the same, means for releasably locking said lever and table together to prevent rotation of said shaft, a pivoted member for actuating said lever locking means, a casing for said locking means, said casing comprising a base portion and a cap having overlapping edge portions at their top and bottom respectively, and alined hearings in the overlapping edges of said casing cap'and base for the pivoted operating member of the lever locking" means and a cross pin extending through said base and cap for attaching said cap to the base. V

8. In a switch stand, a table, a target shaft, an operating lever connected to said target shaft for rotating the latter, means for releasably locking said lever and table together to prevent rotation of the target shaft, a pivoted member for actuating said lever locking means, a casing for said lockmg means comprismg a base portlon and a cap, and bearings in said casing cap andbase for the pivoted operating member of the lever locking means, there being slots extending from the bearings in the casing base to the upper edge of said base and there being slots extending from the hearings in the casing base to the upper edge of saidbase and there being slots extending from the bearingsin the cap to the side edges of said cap.

LARKIN R. SHAFFER. 

